My Kitchen Aid double oven has died after self cleaning. Thermal fuse was replaced, power restored, but now the oven is dead and showing error codes F2 - E1. I've been told that I need to replace the new touch pad (parts and labor $695) and possibly also the control board (parts and labor $1047, including touch pad). According to my service provider, the touch pad repair may solve the problem, but it may not. According to Whirlpool, the control board is out of stock until January 2010.

Is there anything that I can do to try and fix this problem myself. Can I get the touch pad and make the repair easily for less than $695? Is there any other way to find the control pad since Whirlpool corporate says it is out of stock?

Is there anything that I can do to try and fix this problem myself.
You could try the below connector cleaning and checking.
Can I get the touch pad and make the repair easily for less than $695?
Prices are usually less from parts suppliers than from Whirlpool.
Easy is a relative term so I cannot comment, it depends on what you consider easy, the service manual should help you here.
Is there any other way to find the control pad since Whirlpool corporate says it is out of stock?
You could try different parts suppliers perhaps someone has one sitting in stock.

Note whether it is the keypad or the control board is a crap shoot. I cannot find a pin-out for the keypad that would allow you to at least check the keys. If you can get to the connections on both ends of the ribbon cable, I would check the tracks with a meter to ensure they are OK.

Connector Cleaning / Checking
Unplug the unit
Open it up
Remove the ribbon cable from the keypad to the control board at the control board.
Clean the edge connector.
If it is the type where there is not a connector just the insulation is removed, it can be cleaned with a pencil eraser. Do not use an ink eraser as it is too abrasive.
Check the tracks in the ribbon cable for hairline cracks. A magnifying glass helps here.
Would not hurt to clean the connector on the board. Use electronics contact cleaner or isopropyl alcohol and a tooth brush. Be gentle and do not reconnect till all the solvent evaporates.
Reconnect everything and give it a try.

After running the self clean cycle, our oven displayed the F2 E1 error code. The repair man quoted us between $500 to $900 to repair it. After seaching the net and looking closely at the control panel, I discovered that the ribbon going from the control panel to the printed circuit board had a "small" blemish in one of the copper circuits. I lightly sanded the plastic coating off the ribbon and bought some MG Chemicals "Silver Conductive Pen". It is for fixing printed circuits. I repaired the broken circuit and wrapped it with pink insulation to prevent it from comming in contact with heat or the metal stove. Our oven now works like a charm. I hope this helps someone else from having to spend a bunch of money or buying a new stove. I think the ribbon was laying on a part of the oven that got too hot and melted the circuit.
Cheers!

Great advice.
I have also done this.
If the person cannot find a "Silver Conductive Pen", they can use a rear window defrost repair kit. This is a copper based fluid. It is a little harder to use as it is like nail polish but using a needle instead of the brush to apply it keeps it from spreading too much.

After running the self clean cycle, our oven displayed the F2 E1 error code. The repair man quoted us between $500 to $900 to repair it. After seaching the net and looking closely at the control panel, I discovered that the ribbon going from the control panel to the printed circuit board had a "small" blemish in one of the copper circuits. I lightly sanded the plastic coating off the ribbon and bought some MG Chemicals "Silver Conductive Pen". It is for fixing printed circuits. I repaired the broken circuit and wrapped it with pink insulation to prevent it from comming in contact with heat or the metal stove. Our oven now works like a charm. I hope this helps someone else from having to spend a bunch of money or buying a new stove. I think the ribbon was laying on a part of the oven that got too hot and melted the circuit.
Cheers!

Is the ribbon cable sold as a separate part, or is it permanently attached to the keypad (which would be naughty!)? If I were to try to repair, I can disconnect it from the control board but it's very awkward to work with since i can't see how to disconnect it from the keypad (or how to take the keypad off the oven?).

Can the keypad be removed from the oven so that this repair could be done more conveniently on a bench? There are 7 connectors to the control board ... if I could get them out I could take the control board/touchpad out and look at the ribbon cable carefully. But I've only been able to remove two of them - is there a trick to getting the others out?
The ribbon cable has a large paper sticker on its upper side, and this appears to be kinked ... it may be that some of the copper strips on the other side have been broken ... which is where I'm hoping the conductive pen will help ...

Last edited by geoffdougherty : 02-09-2012 at 04:30 PM.
Reason: more thinking!

Yes the keypad can be removed if your model number is the same, see the manual.

Some edge connectors have small clips/lockes on the ends that have to be released so you can unplug.
Some have a clip at the center that must be released.

The two small ones pull out easily, as does the ribbon cable connector, but the others are reluctant to budge. I've spent hours (!!) trying to get the others out - the 3 white ones seem to have lugs at the bottom, but I can't figure out how to disengage them: and the two black ones have no visible locks (or clip), but still won't pull out.

Could you explain in more detail how I might get them off?

Many thanks ...

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